232 BRITISH FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 



Dentition of Elephas meridionalis. 



Permanent incisor enormous ; curves gently, like the recent species ; thickness 

 maintained for nearly half its length, declining gradually towards the tip. Exceptions 

 rare. 



General characters of the molar series. — Crowns very broad ; collines short in com- 

 parison with E. antiquus, and generally as compared with E. primigenius ; enamel of 

 discs thick and rarely crimped, but usually uneven, looped, or channelled ; crown con- 

 stituents generally in excess ; plates wide apart, with thick wedges of cement. Excep- 

 tions not common. 



Molars. — The first milk-molar has five ridges, including talons, the second has eight 

 ridges, the third ten ridges ; the first true molar from nine to eleven ridges, the second 

 from eleven to thirteen ridges, the third from thirteen to sixteen ridges. Exceptions not 

 common, except in the true molars. (PI. XVII, fig. 8 ; PL XVIII, fig. 4 ; Pis. XXII 

 —XXV.) 



Spinal axis of Elephas primigenius. — The prominent " hog's back," so distinctive of 

 the Asiatic as compared with the African Elephant, seems to have been a character also 

 in the Mammoth. 



Atlas. — Anterior articular surfaces semi-lunar ; outer margins of the latter even and 

 round ; proportions between maximum height and width of neural and odontoid canals 

 as 20 to 15. Exceptions rare. (PI. XVII, fig. 1.) 



Axis. — Neural canal nearly as broad as it is high ; anterior articular surfaces sub- 

 ovate, with round external borders ; odontoid process central. No exceptions out of 

 several instances. (PI. XVII, fig. 6.) 



Spinal axis of Elephas antiquus : Atlas. — Anterior articular surfaces wider and more 

 rounded than in E. primigenius ; outer margins more circular ; proportions between height 

 and width as 22 to 20 (fig. 2). Differentiations made from a single specimen. 

 (PI. XVII, fig. 2.) 



Axis. — Anterior articular surfaces subtriangular, and nearly as broad as long ; outer 

 margins projecting inferiorly and ovoid; odontoid process excentral, and near upper 

 margin of centrum (fig. 5). Characters taken from a single specimen. (PI. XVII, 

 fig. 5.) 



Spinal axis of Elephas meridionalis: Atlas. — Anterior articular surfaces asymme- 

 trical and bulging inferiorly, with uneven external borders ; proportions between height 

 and width as 30 to 17. Last-named character not supported by any Italian specimen. 

 (PI. XVII, fig. 3.) 



Axis. — Neural canal circular ; anterior articular surfaces subcordate, with projecting 

 external border ; odontoid process excentral, and placed on the inferior margin of the 

 centrum. (PI. XVII, fig. 4.) 



